32 MANDIBULATA. — COLEOPTERA. 



Family LIX.— MELANDRYID.E, Leach. 



Mandibles bifid, or deeply notched at the apex : maxilla not unguiculated : 

 /aAtum membranaceous; labial paljd shorter tlian the maxillary, the latter 

 with the terminal joint generally very large, compressed, and securiform, 

 and sometimes grooved, or as if folded, w^ithin. Antennce rather short, 

 mostly filiform, rarely clavate, or thickened towards the apex ; never ser- 

 rated : head generally inserted up to the eyes in the thorax, the latter usually 

 broadest behind: body elongate, sometimes depressed: elytra free: legs 

 short; tarsi, four anterior with the penultimate joint bifid, and in general 

 the two posterior also bilobed; rarely simple. 



With the exception of the first genus, the insects of this family 

 closely resemble each other in habit, though there is a considerable 

 diversity of appearance amongst them. They differ from the fore- 

 going famihes not only by having the penultimate joint of the four 

 anterior (and generally of the posterior) tarsi bifid or bilobed, but by 

 wanting the claw at the apex of the maxillae, and in having the 

 antennae short. They chiefly reside beneath the bark of trees, and 

 are mostly very rare in this country. The known species may be 

 thus subdivided into genera : 



Tarsi postici articulo penultimo bilobo. 



Caput et thorax elytris angustiores : . . . . 445. Lagbia. 

 baud aut vix angustiores. 

 Palpi maxillarcs art", ult". ovato, aut lineari interne concave. 



Corpus ovatum, depressutn, antice angustius : . 446. Melandrya. 



oblongum, convexum : .... 447- Phjloiotrya. 



Palpi maxillares art", ult". ovato baud interne concavo. 



Thorax postice angustior : .... 450. Hypulus. 



latior: . . . . 451. Abdera. 



Palpi maxillares art", ult". securiformi. 



Thorax transversus, semicircularis : . . . 452. Scraptia. 



baud semicircularis : . . 448. Xihta. 



oblongus: 449. DircjEA. 



Tarsi postici art", ult". integro. 



Tibiee posticce vix calcaratae ..... 453. Hallomenus. 



calcaribus elongatis armatse : • • 454. Orchesia. 



Genus CCCCXLV. — Lagria, Fabricius. 



Antennas filiform, pubescent, slightly increasing in thickness to the apex, the 

 second joint least, the third slightly elongate, the four next somewhat 

 cylindric, the three following obconic, the terminal one cylindric, very long, 

 especially in the males. Palpi uneqiial, maxillary with the last joint securi- 



